STUDY: U.S. HISPANIC CONSUMERS LOVE TO SHOP
Annual HOT Survey Provides New Demographic Insights
By Laurel Wentz, AD AGE

Fifty-six percent of the U.S. Hispanics polled said "I love to shop" compared with 39% of the general population and are similarly much more likely to pay cash for their purchases, according to People en Espanol's fourth annual Hispanic Opinion Tracker (HOT) survey slated for release this week.
Hispanics are passionate about shopping, said Jackie Hernandez Fallous, publisher of 'People en Espanol,' which conducts the annual HOT survey.

HOT, one of the largest Hispanic surveys conducted in the U.S. each year, found that Hispanic consumers are more likely to go shopping and much less likely to use credit cards than their general market counterparts. Survey participants said they spent on average $1,992 on clothing and accessories in the last 12 months, for instance, compared to $1,153 for general market consumers.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.adage.com/news.cms?newsId=45575

LEXUS PUSHES FOR PRODUCT PLACEMENTS IN MAGAZINE PHOTOS
Marketing Chief Cites 'Fantastic' Response From Publishers and Editors
By Jamie LaReau, AD AGE

You open up your favorite celebrity magazine. Russell Crowe is looking good in a photo spread about his Australian ranch -- especially in the shot of the dead kangaroo he’s strapping to the roof of his Lexus LX 470.
Lexus is targeting magazine editors with its latest marketing strategy. Related Stories:

Flip a page, and there’s an article about a hot New York eatery; a photo shows a Lexus SC 430 parked in front.

'Groundbreaking' strategy
Coincidence? No way. This hypothetical magazine is chock-full of product placements for Toyota Motor Corp. Its luxury division is asking several national magazines to use Lexus vehicles to illustrate stories in “groundbreaking” ways, said Deborah Wahl Meyer, Lexus division’s vice president of marketing.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://adage.com/news.cms?newsId=45663

SHARP TO SELL WORLD'S LARGEST LCD TV
Company to sell 65-inch flat screen in U.S. this year
By ASSOCIATED PRESS

Sharp Corp. said on Friday it would begin selling a 65-inch liquid crystal display (LCD) television, the biggest in the world, encroaching on the turf of Matsushita Electric Industrial and other makers of plasma TVs.

Sharp, the world’s largest LCD TV producer, already markets a 45-inch model and is keen to expand its footprint in the fast-growing market for flat TVs above 40 inches, a segment now dominated by plasma and rear-projection models.

The Osaka-based company said it would launch the 65-inch TV in August in Japan with an expected selling price of 1.68 million yen ($15,520). It plans to introduce the TV in the United States and other overseas markets by the end of this year.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8087100/

VERIZON WIRELESS EXPANDS HISPANIC AGENCY ROSTER
Selects Latinvox to Handle Northeast Region
By Alice Z. Cuneo, AD AGE

SAN FRANCISCO (AdAge.com) -- Verizon Wireless, moving to increase its presence in the Hispanic market, today named Latinvox, New York, as its first agency of record for the Northeast.

As part of the new assignment, Latinvox will provide community relations, promotions and other broad
Latinvox has been named Verizon's Hispanic agency of record for the Northeast.
marketing efforts, as well as print and broadcast advertising, public relations and media planning and buying, a Verizon Wireless spokesman said.

RLR, GlobalHue
Verizon Wireless works with RLR Advertising, Pasadena, Calif., its agency for the Western states. GlobalHue, an Interpublic Group of Cos.-backed agency in Southfield, Mich., handles the wireless marketer's national Hispanic advertising.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.adage.com/news.cms?newsId=45654

VIRGIN MAKES FUTURE PLANS WITH PROJECT 2050
By Sandra O'Loughlin, BRAND WEEK

Virgin Entertainment Group, Los Angeles, has signed Project 2050 as agency of record for strategic marketing and creative services for the North American chain of Virgin Megastores.

Project 2050, a bi-coastal agency with offices in New York and Los Angeles, will develop campaigns for the opening of the new Hollywood & Highland Virgin Megastore in Los Angeles and refurbish its East Coast flagship in New York's Times Square this fall. Project 2050 also will develop the company's overall creative platform, and design and execute consumer-marketing communications, including advertising, collateral and in-store graphics and signage.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.brandweek.com/bw/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001000372

BIG PUN'S FAMILY LAUNCHES CLOTHING LINE
By Remmie Fresh, ALLHIPHOP.COM

The estate of Christopher "Big Pun" Rios has started a clothing line in
memory of the late Bronx rapper in hopes of generating funds for the
family. The launch of Big Pun Clothing Line coincides with BigPunShop.com,
where the clothing can be found exclusively. Presently, the line consists
of several screen printed t-shirts more of which bear an airbrushed style.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.allhiphop.com/hiphopnews/?ID=4655

LUXURY BRANDS FLEE DEPARTMENT STORES
Seek More Control and Higher Margins in Own Stores
By Mya Frazier, ADAGE

The blue suede Coach bag is stuffed on a clearance table with the markdown price of $88.90, a steal compared to the original price of $178. Nearby is a section of glass shelving stocked full of Coach purses, including a $328 pink suede satchel.
Only 11% of Coach's sales now come from department stores. The company is in the process of building its own national chain of 350 stand-alone stores.

Leave Nordstrom’s, however, and just three stores over Coach bags priced over $400 are displayed like museum pieces. It’s a world where a friendly and immaculately dressed sales staff always greets you, the music is always just right and absolutely nothing ever goes on sale.

$1.6 billion in sales
The contrast explains, in part, why in a little less than five years, Coach has cut its dependence on the department store channel -- down today to 11% of its $1.6 billion in sales from 15% in 2000 -- to build its own veritable retail empire, outlining ambitious plans to reach more than 350 stores over the next few years.

The strategy is much the same at other fashion megabrands like Polo Ralph Lauren, Guess and Liz Claiborne. Frustrated by an inability to control pricing and brand display and tired of competing with retailers’ proliferating private-label lineup, such brands are aiming to reduce their co-dependency on department stores.

“Great brands see they have to protect themselves and can no longer depend on department stores,” said Howard Davidowitz, chairman of Davidowitz and Associates.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://adage.com/news.cms?newsId=45633

CROSSING CULTURES: WORKING TO GET AHEAD
Area offers opportunity, lower cost of living
By Chris Dumond, BUTLER COUNTY BUREAU

HAMILTON — A native New Yorker of Dominican descent, Dionys Del Rosari works as a clerk in the Guerrero Mini Mart on Dixie Highway. A clerk in the store for about a year, Del Rosari left the Big Apple for Hamilton to escape a high cost of living.

The Hispanic convenience store on Dixie is one of two in Hamilton under the same ownership. There's a third on Vine Street in Cincinnati. Because the shops carry ethnic food items not found elsewhere, they draw Hispanic customers from Kentucky, Indiana, Columbus and Dayton, Del Rosari said.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.journal-news.com/news/content/news/stories/2005/06/29/HJN0629ESPJOBS.html

KULTJAH BY DESIGN
A hip-hop clothing boutique reopens in Norwalk
By Brita Brundage,WESTCHESTER WEEKLY

"The spot," says designer Jahmane, "is intended to be low-key and hard-to-find." The three J's--Jahmane, John and Jay--opened their walk-up on Orchard Street, not far from Wall Street, April 30, but the shop and studio is a continuation of the specialty work they've been producing since the '80s. At its essence, Kultjah is a grassroots effort, a combination of art, graphics, street culture, African symbolism, graffiti, limited edition sneakers, specialty skateboards and music. It's a lifestyle, as evidenced by Jahmane, John and Jay, who wear their own creations--hand-printed shirts and sneakers, like John's, in shiny metallic gold.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://westchesterweekly.com/gbase/Lifestyle/content?oid=oid:117455

SONY BMG HINDERS MUSIC PIRATES WITH PROTECTED CD
By Adam Pasick, USA TODAY

Sony BMG, the world's 2nd-largest music company, is rolling out CDs with new technology that serves as a "speed bump" to hinder people who want to make illicit copies.

Users will be able to make three additional CD copies for their own use and to store the music files on their computer in a protected format from Microsoft.

Sony BMG's new copy-protection effort comes with what iPod users will see as a downside: PC users are unable to transfer the songs to Apple's popular iPod portable music player, because Apple has declined to make its software compatible with Microsoft's Windows Media digital rights management (DRM) system.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/technology/2005-06-16-sony-cd_x.htm?POE=MONISVA

BURNERS' BUMMER
New Software Guards CDs From Copiers, and the Mix Culture Doesn't Like It
By Anjali Athavaley, WASHINGTON POST

Ben Freedland did two things that his fellow college students have been doing routinely for the past several years: First, he bought a new music CD by campus fave the Dave Matthews Band, then he tried to upload it onto his Apple iPod.

But something was wrong. When Freedland, 20, first inserted the "Stand Up" disc into his laptop in preparation for transferring it to his iPod, "it took over my computer," he said.

The screen went blank, then a copyright agreement popped up. The music wasn't going anywhere. Freedland could play the CD on his laptop, but he couldn't transfer it, and he couldn't copy it to share the mellow grooves with friends or family.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/18/AR2005061800149.html

TOP TEAMS IN FOOD CHAIN CROSSING POND
Real Madrid seeks more fans on American soil
By Bernardo Fallas, HOUSTON CHRONICLE

It's the latest trend to come out of European fashion capitals London and Milan, and Madrid refuses to fall behind.

Following in the steps this summer of London club and English Premiership champion Chelsea and UEFA Champions League runner-up and 17-time Italian Series A winner A.C. Milan, Real Madrid last week announced a U.S. tour to be held in July.

Earlier this month, Chelsea and Milan confirmed their participation in the 2005 World Series of Football July 24-31, which will include Major League Soccer defending champion D.C. United and the Chicago Fire.

Although having European clubs play exhibitions in the United States is nothing new, many Old World powers now consider trips to America preseason requirements.

Whether for profit or to be exposed to different styles of play, teams also view tours as a way to tackle a still largely untapped market.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/3243633

PONDERING THE PROMISE OF MTV'S LOGO
What it will mean for advertisers targeting gays
By Diego Vasquez, MEDIA LIFE MAGAZINE

When Viacom promised to launch a gay cable network last year, it was hardly a surprise. The media giant had been mulling the idea for years yet never seemed to find the right time. With gay marriage in the news and Bravo's "Queer Eye" guys all over TV, Viacom finally committed. On Thursday, after a four-month delay to chase more subscribers, MTV Networks' Logo will launch with 10 million potential viewers. The new channel will feature mostly gay-themed movies, with originals such as wedding makeover show "Love Comes First" and the documentary "The Evolution Will Be Televised" filling out the schedule. Though it certainly seems like the right time for such a launch, there are still a lot of questions surrounding it. Are advertisers interested in gay media? Will the network have heterosexual crossover appeal? Has gay media gone mainstream? Media Life speaks with Howard Buford, founder and president of multicultural ad agency Prime Access, for some answers.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.medialifemagazine.com/News2005/jun05/june27/2_tues/news3tuesday.html

REEBOK TONES DOWN AD
By Chris Reidy, THE BOSTON GLOBE

The hip-hop star 50 Cent was set to star in a new television commercial for Reebok International starting on Tuesday that contains a tamer story line than a previous ad widely criticized as glorifying violence.

In one scene, 50 Cent plays a street baseball game called stickball with the Boston Red Sox slugger Manny Ramírez.

That's a far cry from the rapper's last Reebok TV ad, which the sneaker company pulled off the air in Britain after it was criticized. In that ad, which ran briefly in the United States in the spring, the camera panned on 50 Cent as one of his songs served as the soundtrack: "Shot nine times in Jamaica, Queens/Tell me, who you planning to massacre next?"

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/06/28/business/reebok.php

WILL CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP BUILD UP OR TEAR DOWN URBAN CULTURE?
By Hector Gonzalez, THE ATHENS NEWS

A while back, I was the opening act at a hip-hop show that featured underground MCs from San Jose and Los Angeles. The show took place in a small theater venue in downtown San Jose. As I walked off the stage after performing my set, I kept my head down, thinking that no one had paid to see my performance.

But outside was a group of people playing the role of groupies. They asked me to stand next to a car so they could take my picture. In return, they gave me a magazine and a CD. Suddenly, I felt like a superstar.

Little did I know this was only the beginning of a multimillion dollar campaign Toyota was setting up to sell its new product line, Scion, to younger drivers.

Since then, Scion has been making its presence known in the underground hip-hop community. In and around San Jose, Calif., where I live, Scion paraphernalia can be found at most hip-hop venues. Toyota's marketing strategy makes it clearer than ever that underground urban culture is a sought-after commodity.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.athensnews.com/issue/article.php3?story_id=21000

METS' BERNAZARD INTENT ON BECOMING BASEBALL'S SECOND LATIN GM
By Michael P. Geffner, TIMES HERALD RECORD

New York - Thirty-one. That's how many days in a row Tony Bernazard is rumored to have called Carlos Beltran's agent, Scott Boras, to lure the superstar center fielder to the Mets. That's in addition to chatting with Beltran himself. Sweet-talking him in Spanish, Puertoriqueno to Puertoriqueno. Bernazard from Caguas, Beltran from Manati.
Ask anyone about Bernazard and they'll say this is nothing special, but Tony to a capital T: determined, passionate and charming enough to close the deal.
"When Tony goes after something," says close friend Lou Melendez, Major League Baseball's VP of international baseball operations, "you might as well put it down as done."

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.recordonline.com/archive/2005/06/26/mlb1.htm

HISPANIC CULTURE, CLOUT GROW IN METRO DETROIT
Power brokers' presence at events, live Latino acts and TV station display growing numbers, status.
By Louis Aguilar, THE DETROIT NEWS

Vicente's Cuban Cuisine, which opened two weeks ago in Detroit, is more than just another downtown eatery.

A white-tablecloth restaurant by day and salsa club on weekends, Vicente's represents an emerging market in Metro Detroit: upscale Latinos. Many businesses have made moves in recent months to serve this growing demographic.

Programming on WUDT-23, the new Troy-based affiliate of Univision, the national Spanish-language television network, is chock full of commercials by automakers and national retailers.

At the same time, many politicians and major corporations send representatives to schmooze with members of the Hispanic Business Alliance, a nonprofit group that promotes Hispanic commerce, at the group's monthly mixers. An event last week at Vicente's drew staffers of Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, state senators and Detroit's Big Three automakers.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.detnews.com/2005/business/0506/26/D01-227846.htm

THE COTTON CLUB
Black-conscious hip-hop deals with an overwhelmingly white live audience
by Bakari Kitwana, THE VILLAGE VOICE

Armed with messages of Black political resistance, Black pride, and opposition to militarization and corporatization, designed in part to counter the commercial hip-hop party-and-bullshit madness dumbing down the nation's youth, hip-hop's lyrical descendants of the "fight the power" golden era today are booking concerts in record numbers—far beyond anything imaginable by their predecessors. Problem is, they can hardly find a Black face in the audience.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.villagevoice.com/music/0526,kitwana,65332,22.html

STYLE & SUBSTANCE: AS MALLS THINK SMALL, BOUTIQUES GET THEIR CHANCE
By Amy Chozick, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

On a recent trip to the local mall, Suzy Lee ran her usual errands, shopping for her two children at Gymboree and buying makeup and a few basics at Neiman Marcus.

But before leaving, she made a slight detour to Talulah G, a boutique with a name most shoppers wouldn't recognize. The independently-owned shop, which opened at the Las Vegas Fashion Mall in 2002, sells designer clothes by Valentino, Theory, Balenciaga and Chloe, as well as by hot young designers such as Pegah Anvarian and Ella Moss by Pamella Protzel.

"A department store might carry the same lines, but Talulah G will have a quirkier take on it. It's not so mainstream," says Ms. Lee, 38-years-old, who bought herself a white Michael Kors summer suit and a pair of Citizens of Humanity jeans. She says she stops in at the store a few times a month, whenever she has other things to do at the mall.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05175/528032.stm

WHEN DID IT BECOME HIP TO HUNCH OVER?
BY Jodu Mailander Farrell, KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS

Check out the models on today's runways or the latest photo spreads in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and Elle. Look closer at the red carpet postures of celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Kirsten Dunst, and Paris Hilton.

Perfect perky posture is out. The sag is in.

Shoulders are rounded, hips and head are thrust forward, the spine is curved. It's become fashionable to - insert shrug here - stand like you just don't care.

"It's that vacuous look, that `I don't have to pay attention or look interested in life' look,'' says Patti Wood, a body language expert who performs posture analysis for magazines such as Us Weekly and Cosmopolitan. "It's not cool to care.''

It may be all about the slump, but beware the hump. Today's S-shaped trendsetters could be tomorrow's fashion victims. Poor posture puts a strain on the spine and its supporting muscles and ligaments. Muscles adapt to a sloucher's round-shouldered position, resulting in chest muscles that are short and tight, and back muscles that are stretched and weak.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/11976186.htm

CULTURE SPHERE: A new dawn for Bangkok as a cultural hub?
By Phatarawadee Phataranawik, THE NATION

After a long wait, the government’s previously incoherent policy on building up a cultural infrastructure is finally taking shape. Members of the local art scene and design community have been given a major boost now that the administration has committed billions of baht on relatively well-thought-out art, design and fashion projects. In the next few years, Bangkok will boast its first world-class design, fashion and art venues, all easily accessible via Skytrain, which means we will be able to have fun indulging in a more sophisticated lifestyle while enjoying these venues instead of the more mundane fare of shopping malls and other temples of consumer culture.

Two art centres are planned. The Bangkok Art and Culture Centre will be on three rai of land on the corner of the Pathum Wan intersection, supported by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA). Also, a Bt5.8-billion cultural complex will be built on 35 rai by the Thailand Cultural Centre on Ratchadaphisek Road, a mega-project supported by the Culture Ministry.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://nationmultimedia.com/2005/06/25/opinion/index.php?news=opinion_17830757.html

FRAUDS TARGETING LATINOS ON RISE, CONFERENCE TOLD
FTC, AARP, local officials discuss ruses, remedies
By Blanca Torres, BALTIMORE SUN

Members of the Latino community increasingly are becoming targets of consumer fraud from sales of overpriced computers and credit-card schemes to predatory lending for cars and homes, community leaders say.

Regional officials representing counties, cities, AARP and the Federal Trade Commission met yesterday in Chevy Chase to discuss ways they can help Latinos avoid such schemes and to identify new avenues that fraudulent businesses are using.

As the purchasing power of Latinos grows in the United States, criminals have become more sophisticated in their efforts to target immigrants. Many schemes involving Spanish-speaking salespeople who are hawking credit cards, mortgages and other financial products have emerged as a growing concern among community leaders.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bal-bz.hispanicfraud24jun24,1,4644160.story?coll=bal-business-headlines&ctrack=1&cset=true

MINORITY REPORT: CREATING A PRINT CAMPAIGN FOR THE ASIAN AMERICAN DEMOGRAPHIC
By Photo District News

It's not often that a multicultural agency gets to create something original for a print campaign. As we note in our June 2005 article, "Minority Report," most print ads tailored to minority demographics are little more than repetitions of the mainstream ads with translated copy and some ethnic models. But as the creatives interviewed for the story note, successful ads appealing to African-Americans or the Latino market demand original and intriguing executions, or no amount of research and strategic marketing will work. The best multicultural ads reflect an awareness of the interests, aspirations and culture of their target audience.
Here, Young Kim, creative director with Ad Asia, US, describes in his own words the conception and execution a two-ad print campaign for Subaru automobiles. Both ads are astute and subtle in their use of ideas and concepts that Asian-Americans can appreciate.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.pdnonline.com/pdn/features/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000967585

NEW SOUND FOR A SWELTERING SUMMER
By http://www.telegraph.co.uk

The hot Latin rhythm of reggaetón - a hybrid of reggae, rap and salsa - is sweeping across global dance-floors and about to hit the UK. Gervase de Wilde reports

DJ Jose Luis is worked off his feet. The music promoter, pushing the latest Latino sounds in the UK, has never seen such a rumpus. "Everyone's jumping on reggaetón," he says. "After eight years, this is the first successful crossover we've had with an English audience. At last, Latin music is coming through from the urban music scene rather than world music. People who were never interested before are getting really excited."

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2005/06/23/bmregae23.xml&sSheet=/arts/2005/06/23/ixartleft.html

BUSINESS: HIP HOP'S MOBILE TAKEOVER CONTINUES
By Alyssa Rashbaum, VIBE MAGAZINE

Unless you’ve had your stereo turned to AM for the last few years, you already know that hip hop has plotted and deftly executed a massive takeover of radio and television. Now the genre has set its sights on your mobile phone.

Hip hop fans are rabidly buying ring tones, screensavers and more from their favorite artists, to customize and personalize their phones. In fact, last year more than 70% of all ring tones sold in the United States were from hip hop, rap and R&B artists. As that number looks poised to grow this year, more and more hip hop labels are leaping into the mobile game, hoping for a piece of the lucrative market.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.vibe.com/news/news_headlines/2005/06/business_mobile_takeover/

SEXY CAMISOLE MIGHT NOT BE THE WAY TO DRESS FOR SUCCESS
Stylish: A camisole paired with a jacket can pass muster in some offices, but others might consider it unprofessional.
By Katherine Heine, COX NEWS SERVICE


In the 1980s, women expressed their rising social and economic power in the workforce with the power suit. Giant shoulder pads and tailored blazers screamed, "We're equal and here to stay."

But women's business fashion during the past decade has come to embrace a more feminine side, with shorter skirts, low-cut tops and tight mini-jackets.

No one is campaigning for a return to '80s fashion, but many professionals say the pendulum has swung too far with the latest trend -- lacy, silky camisoles at work.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050623/LIVING/506230308/1007/LIVING

THIS ISN'T THE IMMIGRATION SOLUTION
The mayor of Fresno asking for a moratorium on immigrants is like Col. Sanders asking for a moratorium on chickens.
By Ruben Navarrette Jr., THE DAILY BREEZE

This is how wacky the immigration debate has become: The mayor of Fresno suggests the United States impose a moratorium on immigrants.

I know Fresno. I grew up in a small town nearby. We're talking about one of the farming capitals of the world and home to legions of immigrants -- many of them illegal. In fact, the leader of an Asian-American growers association in Central California estimates that nearly 100 percent of today's agricultural work force is illegal. Without immigrants, the local economy would shrivel up like a raisin in the sun.

So the mayor of Fresno asking for a moratorium on immigrants is like Col. Sanders asking for a moratorium on chickens.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.dailybreeze.com/opinion/articles/1620227.html

FASHION LOOK WILL WORK LIKE A CHARM
By Amber Graafland, LONDON MIRROR

No other couple have the power to start a trend quite like the Beckhams do.

When David gave his then girlfriend, Victoria Adams, a £13,000 diamond cross for Christmas in 1997, sales soared.

Last year, he started another trend when he appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair magazine wearing a £550 Dolce & Gabbana rosary bead necklace.

Christian charity shops were bombarded with people wanting to buy them and the high street soon started making copies.

But the Beckhams have moved on yet again. David and Victoria have been spotted wearing necklaces adorned with tiny charms of religious significance.

Originally worn by Catholics in Brazil, they made their way to Europe when fashion stylists worked on a pop video in Rio with producer Ashley Pugh.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=15655878&method=full&siteid=94762&headline=fashion-look-will-work-like-a-charm--name_page.html

BONO CONSULTED STOCK MARKET GURU ON HOW TO APPEAL TO AMERICANS
By http://www.femalefirst.co.uk

U2 frontman BONO consulted stock market investor WARREN BUFFET about how he could best persuade "mad" Americans to support LIVE 8.

The legendary money mogul told Bono the US responds to anything which appeals to the nation's superiority complex.

Bono tells US magazine TIME, "Warren Buffet gave me the best advice on this subject. He said, 'Don't appeal to the conscience of America. Appeal to the greatness of America and you'll get the job done.'
"On stage, I talk about my first impression of Americans, which was watching a man walk on the moon. We thought, 'Americans are mad! But look what they can do when they get organised.'

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/entertainment/64552004.htm

GAY OR STRAIGHT? HARD TO TELL
By David Colman, NEW YORK TIMES

ARE you confused that the newly styled Backstreet Boys, hoping for a comeback, look an awful lot like the stars of "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy"? Are you curious why Brad Pitt, to promote his new film, dyed his crew cut so blond that even his hairdresser is scratching his head?

Well, how about that guy you see in the locker room, changing out of his Prada lace-ups, Hugo Boss flat-front pants and Paul Smith dress shirt and cuff links into a muscle T-shirt and Adidas soccer shorts. Does he wear that wedding ring because he was married in New York - or in Massachusetts?

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/19/fashion/sundaystyles/19GAYDAR.html

CURVE APPEAL
Retailers Recognize Real Women
By Sylvi Capelaci, TORONTO SUN TIMES

GOOD NEWS for women who don't want to look like their little sisters or their matronly mothers. Times are changing.

There are a growing number of companies awakening to the needs of 30- to 50-year-old women who, until now, have been excluded from fashion's youth-obsessed culture.

New brands such as Yzza and Josef and established names like Le Chateau and Gap plan to dress this savvy shopper who is tuned into trends but doesn't follow them by the book.

She made all her fashion mistakes during her rebel youth and knows what looks good on her and what's appropriate -- nix the super-low-rise jeans and micro minis.

She is probably a mother with one or two children who can't wear a junior cut. She needs clothes with curves.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://torontosun.com/Lifestyle/2005/06/21/1097646-sun.html

CALIFORNIA DREAMING
Hoping to reach a broader audience, Telemundo's youth-targeted network is leaving Hialeah and heading to L.A.
BY Elaine Walker, MIAMI HERALD

Telemundo announced Monday that South Florida will no longer be home to mun2, its cable network aimed at young, bilingual youths.

Over the next few months, the creative, marketing and production operations will relocate from Hialeah to Los Angeles. The move is part of an effort to revamp the Latino youth network and connect with the Mexican population, which represents the largest segment of the rapidly growing U.S. Hispanic market.

As the largest Hispanic market and the entertainment capital, Los Angeles still remains the place where trends are launched more than Miami, experts said.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/11943480.htm

BLACK EYED PEAS ARE A SELLOUT, BUT DID THEY SELL OUT?
They found success when they tinkered with their sound
By Nekesa Mumbi Moody, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The Black Eyed Peas spent years languishing in hip-hop's underground before they found the formula to vault into the mainstream -- accessible pop melodies, star collaborations, marketing tie-ins and a sexy young thing to belt out catchy choruses.

That mix made their 2003 album "Elephunk" their big breakthrough. Their first two albums failed to sell 500,000 copies combined. But "Elephunk" -- which featured the Grammy-nominated anthems "Where Is the Love" with Justin Timberlake and "Let's Get it Started," which became the National Basketball Association's playoff anthem -- went multiplatinum and made them and their music ubiquitous.

Still, there are plenty of early Peas-heads who remain disgruntled about the group's leap to the pop world.

But go ahead and call them sellouts. Lead lyricist will.i.am doesn't mind.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/pop/229001_blackeyedpeas20.html

‘POLITICAL INTERFERENCE’ UNDERMINES JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ANTI-TOBACCO EFFORT
By Makebra M. Anderson, NNPA

Despite testimony from their own expert witness, the Department of Justice (DOJ) decided to decrease the amount of money it requested from the tobacco industry for nationwide tobacco-prevention programs from $130 billion to $10 billion—a move that sent shockwaves through the tobacco cessation community.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.amsterdamnews.com/News/article/article.asp?NewsID=4341&sID=3

HAVE YOU HUGGED A FASHION PLATE TODAY?
Don't thumb your nose at the ladies who lunch and the mall rats who are always in your way. Prod them for stock tips instead.
By Dayana Yochim, THE MOTLEY FOOL

Hi Dayana. I came across your article about the trends in retro shoes and the respective rise in certain brands' stock prices [Listen To Mrs. Peter Lynch]. I myself am a woman who is interested in both investing and clothes. Do you happen to know if there are groups of stylish women out there who use their ahead-of-the-trend knowledge to make money on the stock exchange? Tastefully yours, L.C.

Ah, to combine a few favorite pastimes -- and to use the profits from one to buy cute new shoes!

The idea of getting investing ideas by first looking at the brands you like (the hair products you use; the retailers where you spend your time and paycheck -- or at least observing those who shop for sport) -- is an approach championed by the famous Fidelity Magellan (FUND: FMAGX) mutual fund manager Peter Lynch. It was his wife who told him to check out Hanes (which then traded on the New York Stock Exchange), since she really liked their L'eggs pantyhose -- and, even more important, every woman she knew did, too.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.fool.com/news/commentary/2005/commentary05062005.htm

WALK THIS WAY, SUPERSTAR: WHITE DENIM ROCKS FASHION
These threads are bright, bold and to be worn beyond Labor Day -- forget what you were told.
By Joseph V. Amodio, NEWSDAY

It's a rock star thing. Just about any red-blooded American (at least those born after Bing and Dino, and even some of them) have a center-stage, live-in-concert fantasy.

It's what Gap execs were no doubt counting on when they offered up crooner Joss Stone in their latest ad campaign.

Clad in tight white denim, Stone looks as though she's taking part in an impromptu, just-jumped-up-in-front-of-the-microphone session at some after-hours spot. More people than would care to admit harbor a secret desire to jump up there beside her.

The opportunity to actually do so doesn't come along all that often.

The white denim, however -- hey, that's doable.

"There's definitely a rock-star edge to white denim," says Gap's Erica Archambault. "Pair it with a sleek metallic top for a hip but elegant nighttime look, or dress it down for day wearing capris or cutoffs." Denim is -- if you'll permit us -- white hot this summer.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.detnews.com/2005/lifestyle/0506/20/E01-220491.htm

MARKETING TO HISPANICS
Reaching out to increasingly diverse market can be a challenge
By Tilde Herrera, HERALD TODAY

Colombian-born Ricardo Diaz is open to varying cuisines and American products but admits Spanish-language advertisements get his attention fast.

"They don't have to because it's their country," Diaz said of United States-based companies that choose to target the Hispanic community. "But money talks."

And since the 2000 census, more companies than ever are listening. Hispanics, the fastest growing demographic in the country, are projected to enjoy the most substantial increase in spending power during the next 15 years. But the group's diversity, coupled with the language barrier, can make Hispanic marketing a challenging prospect.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/business/11927372.htm

BRAIN BOOM: LATINOS CAN HELP CLOSE TECHNOLOGY GAP
Encourage Hispanic youth to focus on math, science
By Richard J. Gonzalez, HOUSTON CHRONICLE

JAMES D. Spaniolo, president of the University of Texas at Arlington, has likened the current U.S. technological work force crisis to the space race of the 1950s and '60s.

The United States was caught flat-footed when Soviet scientists launched Sputnik, the first satellite to orbit the Earth. In the brain race, America rallied its schools and students to pursue math and science studies.

The crowning victory over the Soviets, celebrated across the world on television, came when Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon and planted the U.S. flag there in July 1969.

Thirty-six years later, new challengers to U.S. technological dominance have arisen across the world. In the near future, Chinese or Indian astronauts may plant their flags alongside the Stars and Stripes.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/editorial/outlook/3230751

COWTOWN TAPPING INTO VAQUERO ROOTS
Fort Worth: 3 major developments target Hispanic population
By Jeff Mosier, THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS

Tourism marketers boast that Fort Worth is the city of "cowboys and culture."

But Rosa Navejar, president of the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, has a question. "If you look at history, who taught the cowboys?" she asked. "Vaqueros."

The steady growth in Cowtown's Latino population, which has doubled since 1990, has developers embracing a New West that looks a lot like the Old West.

At least three major Hispanic-themed retail projects are planned or in the works, each in neighborhoods that have struggled to attract development in recent decades.

The $4 million Mexican-style Mercado on North Main Street is mostly finished, and the city is looking for a buyer. The city took over the project, inspired by San Antonio's market, when the original developer was unable to raise private funds to complete what was started with government secured loans.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/061805dnmetmercado.1caf0580.html

LITTLE GUYS TAKE ON GREETING CARD GIANTS
By Lorrie Grant, USA TODAY

The growing ranks of small and start-up greeting-card makers still account for a little slice of the market, but they believe they are contributing a big wave of creative fresh air sorely needed by a $7.5 billion industry with flat growth.

Cardmakers' sales have been stuck at that level since 2003 — and are forecast still to be there through at least 2007, according to Stanford Group analyst Kathleen Reed.

The boutique makers' cards have offered new designs, new technology and cultural diversity.

"My generation is the first to grow up on hip-hop music, and its culture was not being represented in the greeting-card market," says Ron Williams, whose Long Island, N.Y.-based company Lyrics2go makes cards with technology that plays 10 seconds of urban music.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.usatoday.com/money/2005-06-16-greeting-cards-usat_x.htm

COWBOY SINGS 'HICK-HOP'
By Jack Leaver, THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS

Cowboy Troy knows his unique brand of country music has some radio programmers scratching their heads.

After all, when the 6-foot, 5-inch, 250-pound rapper first appeared on Big and Rich's multiplatinum debut album, "Horse of a Different Color" and subsequently toured with the hot new duo, Cowboy Troy turned some heads among country-music fans.

However, his multilingual rap in the middle of the Big and Rich song "Rollin' (The Ballad of Big and Rich)" instantly became a crowd-pleasing part of the duo's show each night, and now Cowboy Troy is striking out on his own with his debut album, "Loco Motive."

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.mlive.com/music/grpress/index.ssf?/base/entertainment-1/1119019550319030.xml

PHOENIX GETTING NEW RANCH MARKET
Garfield area's demographics appeal to firm
By Yvonne Wingett, THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC

The supermercado known for its display cases overflowing with pan dulce, beef tamales, quesos and Mexican sodas is less than three weeks from opening a new store in central Phoenix.

And everyone, it seems, is talking about Ranch Market. At least in the Garfield neighborhood.

The former Kmart building at Roosevelt and 16th streets is filled with construction workers, trucks and dirt. By June 29, it should be filled with shoppers, store officials said.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/centralphoenix/articles/0617ext-ranchmarket0617Z4.html

THE U.S. MALE GOES FIRST CLASS
While women prefer “cheap chic” fashion so they can have more variety, men tend to pick better-quality items and trusted brands, one retail survey says.
By Joyce Smith, THE KANSAS CITY STAR

It’s Saturday morning, and Pete Walsh is agonizing over what to wear to his parents’ 50th anniversary dinner that night.

Three salesmen at Hudson & Jane on the Country Club Plaza huddle around a purple shirt and brown jacket as the tie possibilities pile up.

“The older I get, the more obligations I have to parties and events,” said Walsh, a producer at Lockton Benefit Co. “I have to make sure I look professional outside of the office just in case I meet someone I do business with or who I could potentially do business with.

“My mother taught me that if you look and dress nice, it’s hard to go wrong.”

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/business/11915472.htm

BLACK IS BACK IN FASHION IN A BIG WAY
By Teri Agins & Alessandra Galloni, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

Black is back.

After more than three years of pushing bright colors, bold prints and femininity in fashion, designers and retailers are heralding the return of basic black for fall.

Banished to the back of closets for much of the new millennium, black came barreling back down the runways in Milan and Paris in February and March.

Miuccia Prada opened her influential fall fashion show with an austere, black slip dress with a slight edge of lace at the hem. Chanel ended its show with an array of short black dresses. Even Pucci -- famous for its swirling patterns of color -- embraced black for fall.

It remained to be seen whether it would catch on.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050616/FEATURES/506160351/1013

POTENTIAL MARKET FOR TRANSPORTING BODIES BACK TO THEIR HOMELAND IS GROWING IN U.S.
By Hiram Soto, UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

When the cousins of Narciso Díaz died in a car accident in Temecula recently, the Mexican gardener did what many poor families do to bury their dead: ask for help.

After turning to a Los Angeles radio station, the 23-year-old immigrant was able to raise a small part of the thousands of dollars needed to return the bodies of his relatives to their native state of Chiapas. As is often the case, the rest of the bill would have been paid by the Mexican government, which spends millions annually on the repatriation of bodies.

But then something unprecedented happened.

A company looking to introduce a repatriation service offered to pay for the return of the cousins' bodies as a way to promote its products. It then promptly contacted the media.

FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY VISIT:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/features/20050626-9999-1c26body.html

SAN FRANCISCO MAYOR HOSTS VOTO LATINO FUND RAISER
Voto Latino had a very good event in San Francisco this past week that was hosted by the city's 35 year old Mayor. The event helped to raise some funds for Voto Latino and our upcoming programs.

http://www.drewaltizer.com/index_main.html
http://www.patrickmcmullan.com/HomePage.aspx?page=2&Event_ID=0

The next morning, they were on the local morning radio show and
sang some songs on air...lots of fun!:

http://www.radioalice.com/gallery/rd/rd1.asp

RECYCLE THOSE KICKS: TIP FROM WWW.GREENMATTERS.COM
You may or may not know that there is a way to recycled your worn out athletic shoes. Nike, through their Reuse-A-Shoe program, collects worn out althetic shoes of any brand (and Nike-only defective shoes) which get ground up to make Nike Grind--a material used in sports surfaces.

There are three ways to recycle your worn out althetic shoes:
1) Mail them to Nike Recycling Center, c/o Reuse-A-Shoe, 26755 SW 95th Ave.,Wilsonville, OR 97070
2) Take them to any Niketown.
3) Find a drop-off site by visiting this link...
http://www.nike.com/nikebiz/nikebiz.jhtml?page=27&cat=reuseashoe&subcat=us-dropoff

ONE BEDROOM AVAILABLE IN WEEHAWKEN, NJ
If anyone is interested in a very sweet, one-bedroom apartment in Weehawken(literally right across the river), in a perfectly maintained Victorian woodframe, with a view of Manhattan from the kitchen, 1/4 block from every bus that goes through the Lincoln Tunnel to the City and equidistant from both Ferry Landings.

2806 Palisade Ave., Weehawken, NJ 07086
$820/mo.

Call Anne Parete at 201-863-4213
Please tell her that the current tenant, Maria, sent you.

TEGO CALDERÓN, SIGNS GLOBAL DEAL WITH ATLANTIC
Atlantic Records has announced the signing of Latin rap superstar Tego Calderón via a long-term, worldwide deal with Calderón's own Jiggiri Records label. Heralded as the king of the Puerto Rican-bred music known as reggaetón, Calderón is the first artist in this rapidly burgeoning genre to ink a global pact with a major label. His debut Jiggiri/Atlantic album, to be entitled "THE UNDERDOG," is slated for release in October.

The announcement was made today by Atlantic Co-Chairman/COO Craig Kallman, who commented: "With the continuing creative and commercial explosion of new Latin music in the U.S., I am thrilled that one of its signature artists, the brilliant Tego Calderón, has joined the Atlantic family. The reggaetón and Latin hip-hop movements are rapidly merging into the mainstream of American music and media, and Tego's innovative style, street credibility, and charismatic presence have already made him a cultural icon, placing him at the leading edge of the vibrant new urban-driven Latin scene. Atlantic is committed to the aggressive development of Latin artists, nurturing their music and broadening their reach into the global mainstream. The signing of Tego is a proud moment in Atlantic history, signaling our enthusiasm and our long-term belief in this boundary-crossing music."

"This is a new stage in my life, and I am very excited about my venture with Atlantic Records," stated Tego Calderón. "I have the freedom I have been looking for, and I am proud to have Atlantic's and Craig's support backing me up with a team that believes in me. For the first time, I feel like I have control of my career."

For more information contact:
Sheila Richman
Atlantic Records
212-707-3063
sheila.richman@atlanticrecords.com


Susan Makarichev
Dan Klores Communications
212-981-5243
susan_makarichev@dkcnews.com

THURSDAY'S THRU AUGUST | 7:30-8:30 AM |
FREE TAI CHI CLASSES AT BRYANT PARK
Every Thursday morning through August, the Tai Chi Chuan Center of New York is offering a free, one hour class from 7:30AM-8:30AM in Bryant Park (42nd Street) - at the 6th Avenue entrance. The classes are open to anyone interested in learning more about the health benefits of this ancient Chinese discipline.

For example, did you know Tai Chi reduces muscular tension, relaxes the body, protects against injuries, and enhances circulation? Regular practice can boost the immune system, and may reduce the symptoms of many chronic diseases, including arthritis, diabetes, and thyroid disorders. The more you practice Tai Chi, the more you can handle, and practicing Tai Chi three times a week helps relieve tension, too.

SATURDAY | 06.26.05 | 8PM |
JVC SALSA MEETS JAZZ @ CARNEGIE HALL FEAT. EDDIE PALMIERI AND RAY BARRETTO
Salsa Meets Jazz stars Eddie Palmieri Y La Perfecta II featuring Herman Olivera and The 2 Worlds of Ray Barretto featuring Adalberto Santiago with special guest jazz soloists Randy Brecker and Ronnie Cuber.

For more information, visit the official JVC Jazz Festival - New York website at http://www.festivalproductions.net


Tickets for SALSA MEETS JAZZ are available at Carnegie Hall Box Office; CarnegieCharge at (212) 247-7800; or www.CarnegieHall.org. For more information and a Festival brochure, call (212) 501- 1390 or (212) 501-1393for Group Sales weekdays from 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. or write JVC Jazz Festival - New York, P.O. Box 1169, Ansonia Station, New York, NY 10023.

DEADLINE: WEDNESDAY | 06.15.05 |
BLACK SOIL HIP HOP FILM FESTIVAL CALL FOR SUBMISION
This year the 3rd edition of Black